The proposals form part of a "Review of Minor Injuries and Illness Units in Gloucestershire" that is being conducted by Gloucestershire Care Services (GCS). You can download/read the booklet online in pdf form: MIIU information booklet (pdf). The booklet outlines the reasons for change to the existing services and the three options to be discussed. "Discussions with the public" (not a formal consultation) will take place till 31st August, with a final decision being made by the NHS Trust at its board meeting on 20th September 2016. GCS say that feedback received will be compiled into an outcome report and used to inform a new operating model for MIIUs that will begin on 1st October 2016. A short video produced by Gloucestershire Care Services explains:

On Monday 22nd August 10am-11.30am, GCS will have an bus in King St with information and an opportunity to respond. In addition to the petition above, you can respond to the "engagement exercise" via a reply-paid card available from community hospitals, engagement events, GP surgeries, libraries, or else by completing the online survey (we also have copies of the cards and the information booklets available - contact us via
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).

Alongside this review and engagement exercise, Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (GCCG) is perparing a strategic reviews into Urgent Care. GCS say that any outcome for our MIIUs may be subject to further change in light of this.

With Cheltenham A&E already downgraded to an MIIU overnight, and the A&E at Gloucester Hospital struggling to cope partly as a result, Stroud Against the Cuts believes these closures are unacceptable. We also feel it is essential to place these cuts in the national context, with Government policy producing the financial stress, fragmentation and falls in morale among healthworkers that is resulting in these closures.

Most recently, the hospital sector is being increasingly bullied by NHS England and local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to take drastic steps to address an end of year gap between funding needed and that provided of £2.5 billion. The latest instrument to be adopted to achieve drastic "efficiency savings" and cuts has been the reorganisation of the NHS since the beginning of the year into 44 "footprint" areas. Each of these areas has been required to draw up a Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) - to make cuts over a 5 year period. Health Campaigns Together has established an STP Watch page on its website collating information. John Lister, who took part in our recent weekend of NHS events in Stroud has written an article which explains: "Is the new 'collaboration' in the NHS merely a way to make cuts?" Anational conference has been called for September 17 in Birmingham, where we hope campaigners from across the country will share and develop their understanding of the STPs, the plight of their local NHS, and the responses that have worked.